Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

German submarine U 372

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Name
  
U-372

Yard number
  
3

Commissioned
  
19 April 1941

Launched
  
8 March 1941

Draft
  
4.74 m

Part of
  
1st U-boat Flotilla

Ordered
  
23 September 1939

Laid down
  
17 November 1939

Construction started
  
17 November 1939

Length
  
67 m

Beam
  
6.18 m

Fate
  
Sunk 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean in position , by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers and an RAF Wellington bomber.

Builder
  
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft

German submarine U-372 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1939 by Howaldtswerke, Kiel as construction number 3, launched on 8 March 1941 and commissioned on 19 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann.

Contents

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-372 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-372 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 19 April 1941, followed by active service on 1 July 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla until 13 December 1941, whence she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla for operations in the Mediterranean.

In 6 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of 11,751 gross register tons (GRT), and an auxiliary warship of 14,650 GRT.

Wolfpacks

U-372 took part in three wolfpacks, namely

  • Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
  • Störtebecker (16–19 November 1941)
  • Steuben (19 November – 2 December 1941)
  • Fate

    U-372 was sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean, SW of Haifa, in position 32°28′N 34°37′E, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, HMS Croome, HMS Tetcott and an RAF Wellington bomber. All hands survived.

    References

    German submarine U-372 Wikipedia